Tuileries Gardens (ca. 1897), by American artist Childe Hassam, references a famous work by his older and more famous contemporary Claude Monet.
The artwork is on view through March 31 in Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens in Jacksonville.

More than 50 works by renowned artists such as Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Mary Cassatt and John Singer Sargent will be on display at the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens from Feb. 16 through May 6 as part of the exhibit: Impressionism and Post Impressionism from the High Museum of Art.

The exhibit illustrates the emergence of Impressionism in France during the 1870s, the movement's evolution to Post-Impressionism, and its later influence on American artists.

“This progressive look provides a unique perspective of one of the most controversial, significant and ultimately widely popular artistic movements,” said Hope McMath, Director of the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens.

“We're thrilled to bring this must-see collection to The Cummer and the city of Jacksonville.”

The exhibit on loan from the High Museum of Art in Atlanta features works by such pre-Impressionist artists as Eugene Boudin to mark the initial transition from the traditional, academic paintings of the French Academy of Fine Arts and the Paris Salon to the loose brushwork and airy landscapes of Monet, Renoir and Pissarro that defined the Impressionist movement.

“Today, Impressionism is one of the most beloved artistic techniques but the movement was avant-garde in its day. Respected artists in the mid-1800s were painting dramatic historic scenes and religious works. Monet, Renoir and Pissarro rebelled against the traditional, narrowly-defined art of the time and challenged the status quo with loose, rapid brushwork and en plein air painting that explored the effects of light on the landscape,” said Cummer Curator Holly Keris.

“What critics of the time labeled 'unfinished' and 'superficial' would later draw widespread public acceptance and adoration.”

The term Impressionism was derived from Claude Monet's painting titled “Impression, Sunrise” which caused a stir when it debuted in 1872.

The Impressionism and Post Impressionism from the High Museum of Art exhibit features paintings by Monet, Renoir, Pissarro and Frederic Bazille, all founders of Impressionism.

The movement spanned two decades and the exhibit represents works from throughout the period, including paintings by American greats such as Cassatt and Sargent who were influenced by Impressionism, and examples of how the movement evolved into Post-Impressionism as seen in works by Bonnard, Paul Cézanne, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and Edouard Vuillard.

“In addition to a change in technique to more visible strokes, Impressionist artists broke away from traditional rules of subject matter and composition. Impressionism was the mix of all of these elements — candid poses and more natural compositions, brushstrokes that showed immediacy and movement, less use of black, somber colors, and the belief that the viewer's eye would allow less detailed, unblended colors and shapes tell a story,” Keris said.

Some of the works featured in the Impressionism and Post Impressionism from the High Museum of Art exhibit include:

The Beach at Sainte-Adresse (1865) by Frédéric Bazille, a close friend of Monet's whose artistic career was cut short by his death in the Franco-Prussian War

Claude Monet's Houses of Parliament in the Fog (1903), one of a series of paintings the artist made of this important place in different light and atmospheric conditions

Camille Pissarro's Snowscape with Cows at Montfoucault (1874), which shows the influence of Paul Cézanne in its limited color palette and regulated brushstrokes;

Tuileries Gardens (ca. 1897) by American artist Childe Hassam, which references a famous work by his older and more well-known contemporary Claude Monet

John Singer Sargent's Portrait of Ralph Curtis on the Beach at Scheveningen (1880), an en plein air example with actual grains of sand from the beach in its surface

John Henry Twachtman's Along the River, Winter (ca. 1889), an austere winter landscape that borders on the edge of abstraction.

Special Programming & Events

Throughout the Impressionism and Post Impressionism from the High Museum of Art exhibit from Feb. 16 through May 6, TreeCup Café at The Cummer will feature Parisian-inspired fare on Tuesday evenings and The Cummer Store will be stocked with a variety of Impressionist gifts, prints and treasures.

Special events and programs include:

Calling all Photo Enthusiasts: February 16 – May 5

The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens invites experienced and novice photographers alike to capture reflected images or reflected light along the St. Johns River. From February 16 through May 5, 2012, send between one and three photos to lstevens@cummer.org. All appropriate photos will be shared on The Cummer’s Flickr account. This is not a contest, but rather a shared photo experience celebrating Impressionism and creative expression.

Lecture: Brilliant Transformations: Masterpieces of Impressionism and Post-Impressionism: Dr. Debra Murphy, University of North Florida; Tuesday, February 28 at 7 p.m. $5 Members and Non-members

Lecture: Special Guest Lecturer David Brenneman, Director of Collections and Exhibitions, High Museum of Art; Tuesday, March 6 at 7 p.m. $5 Members and Non-members

Talks and Tea: Seated galley talks at 1:30 p.m. with afternoon tea and refreshments following. March 21 & 22 at 1:30 p.m.; and April 18 & 19 at 1:30 p.m.

Reservations are requested by calling (904) 355-0630. Cost is $6 members and non-members.

Art for Two: Classes in painting, drawing and printmaking.

Something’s Fishy! – February 11, 10:30 a.m. to Noon

Print Like our Japanese Friends – March 10, 10:30 a.m. to Noon

Let’s Make a Good Impression – April 14, 10:30 a.m. to Noon

Art Adventures: Classes in painting, drawing and printmaking.

Something’s Fishy! – February 18, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Pleine-air Painting The Garden – March 17, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Let’s Make a Good Impression – April 21, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Moon Gazing River Cruise: April 5, 2012

Join the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens for a brilliant evening as we cruise the St. Johns River under the evening sky. Enjoy wine, cheese and light hors d’oeuvres. Like Japanese Artist Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, whose selected woodblock prints from the series One Hundred Views of the Moon, are currently on view at The Cummer, you will be entranced by the moon as it lights a shimmering path along the river on this hour-and-a-half cruise. We will board The Riverkeeper Water Taxi between 7:00 and 7:30 pm at The Riverside Artist Market Dock under the Fuller Warren Bridge and return to disembark at approximately 9:00 pm. The trip is $45.00 and reservations can be made by contacting Louise Stevens at (904)899-6004.

Bon Voyage Late Closing Hours: Saturday, May 5 until Midnight

Savor the last chance to see the Impressionism and Post Impressionism from the High Museum of Art at The Cummer until 12:00 midnight.

About The Cummer

For the past 50 years, the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens has been committed to engaging and inspiring through the arts, gardens and education. A permanent collection of nearly 5,000 objects and historic gardens on a riverfront campus offers more than 109,000 annual visitors a truly unique experience on the First Coast. Nationally recognized education programs serve and adults and children of all abilities. For more information, including hours, visit www.cummer.org.